Solenoid housings are typically used in car control systems, such as doors, windows, hydraulic controls, engine controls, and the like. Other uses include refrigerators, washers, and dryers. Further uses include electronically actuated valves and switches, door holders, speakers, and CRT monitors.
A solenoid housing is typically assembled from multiple components, with each component being typically machined, bent, or molded into shape individually prior to assembly. Each piece is then typically assembled via a nesting or welding method to create the composite structure of the housing.
There are distinct disadvantages to this method of forming a solenoid housing. Nesting or welding of components can create weak points at the interfaces between said components. These weak points may be structural, in that the resiliency of the housing at these interfaces is inferior to that of each component themselves with the housing likely to fail at these interfaces. Said weak points may also be electromagnetic in nature, meaning flow of electrical and magnetic fields around the solenoid housing may be impeded at these interfaces.
Machining and then assembling the various components of the solenoid housing may also shorten the operational lifetime of the solenoid housing. The manufacturing errors of a multi component assembly are aggregate, meaning that the potential minute deviations of each manufactured component from a target size and shape must be taken into account during assembly. Therefore, solenoid housings assembled in the prior art manner have limitations with regards to error tolerances; it is difficult to design components to fit finely, like on a micrometer scale, because the inherent variation in the prior art machining process typically cannot produce the desired components with sufficient reliability. In a kinetic apparatus such as a solenoid, the above-mentioned deviations can cause friction between components and limited operational lifetimes. Additionally, having to machine multiple components (multi-setting machining) vastly increases the complexity of the solenoid housing, meaning greater skill, time, and ultimately money are typically required to produce one operational product versus a simpler, single-setting machining process.
Once assembly is completed, a solenoid housing typically undergoes a finishing step, often called “deburring.” Deburring removes rough edges, excess and unwanted material, and produces a more polished product. It is not uncommon for solenoid housings to be fashioned from low-carbon steel. However, traditional deburring methods have difficulty with low-carbon steel solenoid housings.
What is desired, therefore, is a deburred solenoid housing machined with integrated protrusions from a single piece of metal. Another desire is a method of making a solenoid housing that reduces weak points in the housing construct without sacrificing performance or manufacturing efficiency. Another desire is a method of making a solenoid housing that allows for single-setting machining. Finally, what is desired is a method that allows for efficient deburring of low-carbon steel solenoid housings.